Thyroid cancer arises from the thyroid gland — a butterfly-shaped organ located on the front of the neck whose main function is producing thyroid hormones to regulate metabolism. Thyroid cancer is the most rapidly increasing cancer in U.S., mainly due to advancements in imaging techniques that help detect smaller lesions.

I challenge you to not only support Breast Cancer Awareness Month but to take your own awareness of breast cancer one step further. I encourage you to be aware of the risk factors for breast cancer and what strategies you can implement in your lifestyle to reduce your risk.

When Cathy Klug was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997, it came as a shock. The healthy, 43-year-old mom and school teacher had always taken care of herself and always enjoyed good health. But her positive attitude moved her forward as a true survivor.

At 31 years old with a young daughter and the natural inclination to go, go, go, slowing down was hard for Lindsey Bruns to imagine. However, Bruns, a business owner and Mankato resident, was forced to reduce her daily pace when she was hit with two major life events in 2016. She fell off her horse and broke her hip in May, and in June, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

You just received a letter from your doctor’s office informing you that you’re due for your Pap smear. You dutifully call and schedule an appointment, but have you ever taken a moment and really asked yourself what is a Pap? Why are you getting screened for cervical cancer, and can you do anything to prevent it?

Polly Browne, 54, a North Mankato, Minnesota resident and elementary education professor at Mankato-based Bethany Lutheran College, didn’t have symptoms, but she knew something wasn’t quite right with one of her breasts. An otherwise healthy person who had not long ago received a normal mammography report, Browne decided she needed to see her primary provider, Susan Laabs, M.D., Family Medicine.

Compelling evidence shows that generous amounts of fruits and veggies as part of a healthy diet may lower the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Eating a healthy diet and adopting healthy habits have so much power in decreasing the possibility of developing breast and colorectal cancers in particular.